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Sports BIT: Understanding The Hype For Oakland A's Sean Manaea

Teddy and Pauly cover the hypest top pitching prospect in Oakland A's Sean Manaea, the 'Throwin' Samoan', who was the #1 MLB pick in the 2013 Amateur Draft.

One of the things that Teddy and Pauly attempt to do on every single episode of SportsBIT is to make sure that bettors are getting accurate information that they simply can’t find from any mainstream source. Take the Wednesday edition, for example.

There’s been a ton of hype surrounding the Oakland A’s top pitching prospect, Sean Manaea, the ‘Throwin’ Samoan’. Manaea was the #1 MLB pick in the 2013 Amateur Draft, and has wowed scouts with his heat throughout his tenure in the minors. The betting markets took note, and money poured in on Manaea and the A’s last night, despite the fact that Oakland came into the game in the midst of a nasty skid, losers of seven of their last eight, shifting the MLB odds.

What the betting markets DIDN’T appreciate – and what bettors can learn from the A’s ugly loss last night – is that seasoning matters when it comes to MLB debuts, particularly when it comes to pitching in very hostile (and hitter friendly) environments like Fenway Park. Manaea only threw 41 pitches last night and 31 of them were strikes. Considering that he gave up eight runs on ten hits in 2.2 innings and only threw 41 pitches, Teddy’s snide comment that ‘He should have thrown more balls’ actually has some merits in reality, and explains the ‘seasoning’ issue.

Manaea had a grand total of 67.2 innings pitched at AA and AAA combined prior to his big league debut. In fact, he had made only three starts at AAA before his call-up. Plain and simple – that’s not enough experience for a young hurler to make his debut at Fenway, and it showed. The move also showed how desperate Oakland is getting, with their pitching staff decimated by injuries and their bullpen collapsing completely on this East Coast trip.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg for what you’ll find on SportsBIT every day! This show is not about touting. Teddy and Pauly don’t beat their chests when they’re on a hot streak with the Play of the Day that closes out every show (and yes, they’ve won all week). This show is about building an audience, day by day, by providing unique info, all slanted towards bettors and what they need. Check out today’s show right here, right now.